johnny dangerously. reviewed A Map to the Sun by Sloane Leong
Review of 'A Map to the Sun' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Tremendous art, coloring, pacing, and use of comic language make this book an overall triumph. I adore the art, the clear inspiration from sports manga, the way the central metaphor is carried through color alone, all of it is an incredible display of skill that makes for a wonderful read.
My only real problem is the uneven handling of characters-- if a teenager identifies more with the three minor characters rather than the two mains, they're likely to be disappointed by the quick, almost casual way those story lines are wrapped up. In comparison, I feel like the book fumbles the last shot (see what I did there) and pulls a punch with how the main two character's stories are concluded.
Though this is very much my interpretation, because I was genuinely confused when the main characters' storylines didn't end in romance. It seemed obvious to me from the way …
Tremendous art, coloring, pacing, and use of comic language make this book an overall triumph. I adore the art, the clear inspiration from sports manga, the way the central metaphor is carried through color alone, all of it is an incredible display of skill that makes for a wonderful read.
My only real problem is the uneven handling of characters-- if a teenager identifies more with the three minor characters rather than the two mains, they're likely to be disappointed by the quick, almost casual way those story lines are wrapped up. In comparison, I feel like the book fumbles the last shot (see what I did there) and pulls a punch with how the main two character's stories are concluded.
Though this is very much my interpretation, because I was genuinely confused when the main characters' storylines didn't end in romance. It seemed obvious to me from the way the story lead up to that point. I don't know, maybe my friendships in high school just weren't that intense.
That said, this is still a fantastic novel, and I recommend it highly.
